Every year, April Fools’ Day is celebrated in many countries on April 1st. Sometimes, it’s referred to as All Fools’ Day. April 1 isn’t a national holiday but is widely recognized and celebrated as a day when people play practical jokes, pranks and hoaxes on each other.When we’re born we don’t get to pick which day of the year will be our special birth day. It could be a very frustrating day if you happen to be someone who was born on April 1st.
Children love parties on their birthdays. As you get older, parties seem to be a reminder of getting old and can be a bit too much for celebrating. One year, as a teenager celebrating a significant numbered birthday my husband, Al, decided to throw himself a birthday celebration. When he was growing up his parents made just enough money for them to get by. There weren’t too many extra’s – like birthday parties. His maternal grandmother always made a cake for him but no party hats or streamers and balloons. Both of his parents worked hard but money didn’t extend for anything that wasn’t a necessity.
When Al asked his parents for permission to throw himself a party they insisted that they wanted to do it for him as his gift that year since he was going to be 16. They told him he could invite 8 friends. It seemed silly as a teen to have your parents do this but he wanted his parents to have the fulfillment of having given him at least one birthday party.
And, so he invited his friends to come on April 1st at 4:00p.m. The hour arrived and so did 3 more hours after that. He could not believe that no one had shown up. He continued to wait until bedtime. He was disappointed and couldn’t understand why no one had shown up. As all kids do, he told himself that no one liked him.
He started thinking they were friends who really weren’t friends. The following day at school he approached one of the invited friends. He asked him why he hadn’t shown up for his party. Surprised, the friend told him that he knew his parents could not afford parties. He assumed that AL had been playing an April Fool joke on him and the other guys.
Now, this no April Fool joke.
******* This is a story from my archives with a bit of an update for this years birthday.
April 4, 2015 at 10:09 am
A Happy Birthday belated to him .
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April 11, 2015 at 10:12 am
Thank you Jake. I’m a bit late but your visits and comments are always appreciated. 😊
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April 2, 2015 at 6:34 pm
thank you for the wonderful birthday wish, and thank you for not saying my age 69 opps
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April 11, 2015 at 10:07 am
You’re such a cut-up. ❤ ❤
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April 2, 2015 at 5:14 pm
Very intriguing story Isadora, for some reason it brought tears to my eyes! Happy birthday to Al, wishing you guys all the best!
Blessings. 🙂
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April 11, 2015 at 10:18 am
I’m so sorry for the delay in responding to your kind comment. I seem to be like the hare in ALice in Wonderland. 😳
When my hubby told me the story, I was struck by how sad it was. He has turned that incident into a compelling
life. An incicdent that might have crippled or crushed someone else was a motivation for him to become more than
what he was then. His defeat became his success. A bad thing turned into something good. 😊
Thank you for the birthday wishes and for visiting my blog and always being supportive. ❤ ❤
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April 13, 2015 at 7:26 pm
You’re welcome my friend! Wishing you a pleasant week!
Much love. 🙂
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April 2, 2015 at 3:20 pm
Happy Birthday to Al. What a sad story, but I’m sure he’s well over that disappointment by now. 🙂 Lovely birthday wish under the yummy looking cake. 🙂
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April 11, 2015 at 10:11 am
My, My … I am a bit late to respond to this. 😥
Thank you frot he birthday wishes, Sylvia. I appreciate them.
Yes, it was way way back and now-a-days the date is helpful for family and friends to remember when his
birthday is. A bad thing turned good. 😍
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April 2, 2015 at 2:33 pm
How sad! His one birthday wish and it didn’t work out for him. That makes my heart ache.
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April 11, 2015 at 10:09 am
It was the only time he was going to have a party but, of course, since those days he has had quite a few parties to make up for it. Some difficulties in life make us stronger. This was one of them. 😊
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April 11, 2015 at 12:17 pm
You’re right! It was still sad though. 😉
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April 2, 2015 at 12:31 pm
Happy Birthday to Al .. and hope he had a wonderful day … and I’m sure you made that happen. 🙂 … and thanks for sharing the touching story.
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April 11, 2015 at 10:21 am
Belated ‘Thank You’s’ !!!! His day and night were quite special. His birthday is always remembered now by
friends and family because of that date. A bad thing turned into a good thing. 😄
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April 2, 2015 at 11:34 am
Happy Birthday to your husband, my dear Isadora! 🙂 🙂 xxxxx [my godson’s bday is also April 1st – quite a date!!!!]
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April 11, 2015 at 10:06 am
Oh my, Marina. I hadn’t looked at my past posts for awhile. 😳
Thank you so very much for the birthday wishes. I will remember your godson’s birthday now
because it is quite a date. In the future, his friends and family will find it easier to remember.
A bad situation turned good. ❤ 😍
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April 1, 2015 at 11:55 pm
Hi Isadora, sad story, poor Al! I hope he has recovered of that Bday party. Send my happy birthday wishes to him! My son just played a joke on us, he brought an exam from school marked 0/12, we got mad with him, after he said it was a prank, his teacher idea. 🙂 I remember many jokes years ago, but not so much now, I think this tradition is ending.
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April 11, 2015 at 10:04 am
Oh my … I’m late. I feel like the hare in Alice in Wonderland. 😳
Thank you for the birthday wishes. The first time I heard his story I felt sad for him.
He’s has recovered and enjoys many birthday wishes now-a-days since our friends and family are reminded of
his birthday because of what April 1st represents. A bad thing turned good. 😍
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April 1, 2015 at 5:21 pm
nice take and information to look at it with different eyes.
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April 11, 2015 at 10:00 am
Thank you … belated appreciation for your comment. 😎
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